1. Field
The invention relates generally to insect population control, and more particularly to spray apparatuses, uses of diatomaceous earth, and methods of controlling insect populations.
2. Related Art
Many insects, such as the insects commonly known as “bedbugs” for example, have become pests in many parts of the world. A bedbug infestation of a building, for example, can be very costly, because often furniture must be destroyed and replaced in order to remove bedbugs from the building. Further, in the case of some institutions such as hotels for example, closing large parts or all of the hotel for bedbug pest removal can result in significant loss of revenue.
Some known methods of controlling bedbug populations involve using synthetic pesticides, but some pesticides may be harmful to humans and to other life. Other known methods of controlling bedbug populations include applying diatomaceous earth, a naturally occurring siliceous sedimentary rock that includes fossilized remains of diatoms.
However, known methods of applying diatomaceous earth can be cumbersome. For example, known methods of applying diatomaceous earth may undesirably require handling the diatomaceous earth, for example to transfer the diatomaceous earth from a container not having an applicator to a separate applicator apparatus. Also, known applicator apparatuses may apply diatomaceous earth unevenly, which may be wasteful or ineffective. In general, known methods of applying diatomaceous earth may be sufficiently complex so as to require professional involvement, which may undesirably add to cost and delay of bedbug treatment.
Also, numerous types of diatomaceous earth are available, and different types of diatomaceous earth vary widely and significantly from each other. It has been estimated that there are approximately 100,000 extant diatom species, and some diatomaceous earth may also include diverse combinations of one or more diatom species and may also include extinct species in addition to the number of extant species. Diatom skeletons (which may also be referred to as “frustules”) may vary widely and significantly in size and shape across a very large number of diatom species. Also, different insect species have different bodies that may be affected significantly differently by different types of diatomaceous earth. Therefore, many varieties of diatomaceous earth are available, and a variety of diatomaceous earth that is effective at controlling a population of one type of insect may not be as effective, or effective at all, at controlling a population of another type of insect.